Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust funds new Chair of Agri Tech Applied Economics

Posted 29 November 2016

Harper Adams University, supported by the Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust, is seeking a world-leading expert to spearhead the evaluation and communication of the economic, environmental and social benefits of precision farming.

The Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust is partnering with Harper Adams to co-fund a new Chair in Agri Tech Applied Economics. 

The position will be advertised later this week.

Vice-Chancellor Dr David Llewellyn said: “This new post will be unique in the UK and will make a very valuable contribution to knowledge and expertise for the wider agricultural industries across UK and beyond.

“Harper Adams will be ideally placed to develop this new academic field, given our well-established expertise in Precision Farming and the practical application of agricultural technology.

“The Chair will add a very important new dimension to our work and we are very much looking forward to finding the right candidate and making an appointment as soon as possible.”

The post-holder will be able to use data coming from the university’s team of researchers and from industry connections involved in the National Centre for Precision Farming and Government-backed national agri-technology strategy projects, including the Agricultural Engineering Precision Innovation Centre (Agri-EPI) and the Centre of Innovation Excellence in Livestock (CIEL).

New facilities being created on campus in support of these projects include the Agricultural Engineering Innovation Hub and a robotic dairy.

Grateful

Dr Llewellyn added: “We are extremely grateful to the Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust for its continued support for the university. The Trust already provides student scholarships, and is the primary sponsor of a new laboratory extension, currently under construction.

“Now, by providing funding for this vital new post, the Trust has further demonstrated its desire to support the development of solutions for farmers which enable them to find practical ways to minimise inputs while maximising sustainability, animal welfare, crop health and food production.”

The Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust was established in memory of Elizabeth Creak, a former High Sheriff of Warwickshire, who previously ran a significant dairy farm.

Born in 1926, Elizabeth Creak graduated from McGill University in Montreal and worked for Allen Lane of Penguin Publishers before returning to England to work with her farmer uncle, eventually becoming his successor.

She passed away in October 2013 and left the bulk of her estate to the Elizabeth Creak Charitable Trust, to “support and encourage new blood in farming and finance projects to help farmers survive and thrive in their challenging modern environment”.